Apparatus and methods to reduce unwanted motion in precision instruments are described. An active vibration-isolation system may include a feedback loop that senses motion of an intermediate mass. In noisy environments, where the feedback loop would otherwise fail or provide inadequate isolation, feedforward control can be implemented to sense floor vibrations and reduce motion of the intermediate mass that would otherwise be induced by the floor vibrations. The feedforward control can reduce motion of the intermediate mass to a level that allows the feedback loop to operate satisfactorily.

A shock absorbing member which can increase impact absorption energy and also enables thinning of a steel sheet that is a starting material, a method for producing the shock absorbing member, and a method for producing a steel sheet for cold plastic working are provided. The shock absorbing member includes a ridge portion formed in a curved shape as viewed from a longitudinal direction, and a wall portion extending from the ridge portion. In the wall portion, a ratio σ.sub.5/τ.sub.5 between a tensile stress σ.sub.5 when an elongation in a tensile test is 5% and a shear stress τ.sub.5 when a shear strain in a shear test is 5√3% is 1.70 or less, or a ratio σ.sub.10/τ.sub.10 between a tensile stress σ.sub.10 when an elongation in a tensile test is 10% and a shear stress τ.sub.10 when a shear strain in a shear test is 10√3% is 1.70 or less.

A spring for use in conjunction with a vehicle, in particular a leaf spring (1), preferably a parabolic spring, has a single-part spring leaf (12) made of steel, in particular spring steel, having a central region (2) and two adjoining edge regions (4a, 4b), wherein the edge regions (4a, 4b) each have an end region (5a, 5b), the end regions (5a, 5b) can each be connected to a chassis in a stationary manner via a rolled eye (11), and the total length of the spring when installed on the vehicle is substantially unchangeable in all load states. In the unloaded state, the spring leaf (12) has two bending sections (13, 14), which each have a curvature with a curvature direction, wherein the curvature directions of the two bending sections (13, 14) are opposed, and the two bending sections (13, 14) merge into each other in the region of a turning point (15). The first bending section (13) is a vertical spring section and runs from the end region (5a) of the first edge region (4a) via the central region (2) to the turning point (15). The second bending section (14) is a horizontal and vertical spring section and runs from the turning point (15) to the end region (5b) of the second edge region (4b).

In at least some implementations, an energy absorbing member for a vehicle includes an engine cover adapted to be mounted beneath a vehicle hood and to overlie at least part of an engine, and an upper member coupled to the engine cover. The upper member is cantilevered to the engine cover wherein the upper member has a base coupled to the engine cover and a free end spaced from the base, and the upper member is flexible and a first portion of the upper member spaced from the base and including the free end is movable relative to the base.

An elastic bush and an electric motor using the elastic bush are proposed. The elastic bush includes a bush body having in a central portion thereof a coupling hole into which a rotating shaft is inserted, a circular separation plate spaced apart from an end of the bush body in an extending direction of the rotating shaft and coming into close contact with a neighboring associated component, and a plurality of connecting legs each connected at both ends thereof to the bush body and the separation plate, and elastically deformed to vary a relative distance between the bush body and the separation plate. An entire length of the elastic bush is varied through elastic deformation. Therefore, a gap between two components located on both sides of the elastic bush, such as a front bush and an armature assembly, may be more effectively reduced.

A flywheel configured to couple to a manual transmission to an unrelated vehicle engine. Also disclosed is a method for retrofitting a manual transmission with an unrelated vehicle engine. Also provided is a flywheel comprising a removable friction region and/or a removable gear portion.

A squeeze mode giant electrorheological fluid damper is disclosed. The squeeze mode giant electrorheological fluid damper comprises a support, a container and a connecting structure, wherein the support comprises a bottom plate, guide shafts and a top plate, the guide shaft is vertically fixed on the bottom plate, and the top plate is slidably arranged on the guide shaft; the container comprises a container body and two spiral spring pieces coaxially arranged in the container body, the container body is fixed on the bottom plate, the bottoms of the two spiral spring pieces are fixed to the bottom of the container, the two spiral spring pieces are not in contact with each other and are spaced by 180°; the top of the connecting structure is fixedly connected with the top plate, and the bottom of the connecting structure is fixedly connected with the tops of the two spiral spring pieces.

A system and method for a line shock absorbing and/or tensioning device formed from a metal rod having a central coiled portion acting as a torsion spring with two arms extending radially from the coiled portion whereby the ends are terminated with a pigtail to allow a line to be captively held inside without the need to thread the line ends through. The line, when slackened, is manipulated inside the two pigtails and routed through a third formed pocket in the centered coiled portion to form a non-linear path. As the line is stressed, the line wants to straighten, therefore causing the V-shaped arms to flex apart and absorb the resulting shock while providing elasticity and elongation to the line itself.

A method for the production of a metal strip is provided. The method includes providing an amorphous metal strip having a first main surface and a second, opposing main surface. The first and/or the second main surface are treated with a wet-chemical etching process and/or a photochemical etching process.

A system and method for a line shock absorbing and/or tensioning device formed from a metal rod having a central coiled portion acting as a torsion spring with two arms extending radially from the coiled portion whereby the ends are terminated with a pigtail to allow a line to be captively held inside without the need to thread the line ends through. The line, when slackened, is manipulated inside the two pigtails and routed through a third formed pocket in the centered coiled portion to form a non-linear path. As the line is stressed, the line wants to straighten, therefore causing the V-shaped arms to flex apart and absorb the resulting shock while providing elasticity and elongation to the line itself.